Kaspersky has released its 2025 Security Bulletin outlining major cybersecurity threats affecting the retail and e-commerce sector, with a focus on AI-driven shopping and privacy risks expected to intensify in 2026.

The report reviews real-world incidents impacting everyday users and highlights security challenges facing both consumer platforms and B2B organizations.

Retail and E-commerce Cybersecurity in 2025: Key Data

Kaspersky reported that 14.41% of users in the retail sector encountered web-based threats, while 22.20% faced on-device threats during the year.

Ransomware affected 8.25% of retail and e-commerce companies, and ransomware detections among unique B2B users increased by 152% compared to 2023.

Phishing and Ransomware Remain Major Threats

Between November 2024 and October 2025, Kaspersky blocked 6,651,955 phishing attempts targeting users of online stores, payment systems, and delivery services.

More than half of these attacks targeted online shoppers, while ransomware growth was largely driven by the Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Dcryptor family, which uses the legitimate DiskCryptor utility to encrypt disk partitions.

AI-Powered Shopping Expands Privacy Attack Surface

Kaspersky expects chatbots to become common tools for product discovery, encouraging users to share detailed conversational data that increases privacy risks.

“Search itself is changing, including how people look for products online. In 2025, there was a gradual shift from simple keyword queries to more conversational and visual ways of finding what to buy. As these models rely on broader user input, careful handling of the data involved will remain an important consideration for maintaining user trust,” comments Anna Larkina, Web data and privacy analysis expert at Kaspersky.

Image-Based Search and Trade Changes Create New Fraud Risks

Kaspersky warned that changes in taxes and trade rules could be exploited in phishing campaigns and fraudulent online stores offering unrealistic pricing.

The report also noted that image-based product search may increase privacy risks, as uploaded photos can unintentionally expose faces, home environments, or personal details.

PHOTO: FREEPIK

This article was created with AI assistance.